Karen Forman, Patch Staff

<b>Email:</b> karenf&#64;patch.com<br><b>Phone</b><b>:</b> 631-276-0356<br><b>Hometown:</b> Commack<br><b>Birthday:</b> 10/4/64<br><b>Welcome video:</b> http://patch.com/A-1Fs <br><b>Twitter:</b> DixHillsPatch<br><b>Facebook: </b>Dix Hills Patch

<b>Bio: </b>Prior to becoming local editor for Dix Hills Patch, Karen was a contributor to Huntington Patch and was a reporter for the Times Beacon Record papers. She was also a freelance writer for Stony Brook University Medical Center. Prior to that, she was a reporter for Suffolk Life Newspapers. Dix Hills is a great place and I know you will enjoy learning all there is to know about it.

Karen lives in Commack but has moved around a lot in the last two decades, owning homes in Wantagh, Dix Hills, Smithtown and East Northport. Her four daughters are in the Commack School District.  

Karen&#39;s twins are seniors at Commack High School, another daughter is in 8th grade at the middle school and her youngest daughter is in 5th grade at Burr Intermediate School. When she lived in Dix Hills, her twins attended Otsego Elementary. 

<b>Your Beliefs</b>

<i>At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.<br></i><br><b>Politics </b>

<i>How would you describe your political beliefs? </i>Well, I know what I don&#39;t agree with: Right-to-Lifers. I believe that every woman should be able to choose what she wants to do with her own body, including whether or not to have a baby. I don&#39;t feel that anyone has the right to tell another person that they have to bring a child into this world. Because of that, I almost always vote for Democrats. I also don&#39;t agree with Right Wingers who feel that there should be prayer in the schools. I was raised Jewish and I don&#39;t want my children praying to a Christian god in school.

<i><br>Are you registered with a certain party? </i>Yes, I am a registered Democrat.<br><br><b>Religion</b>

I was raised Jewish and was bat mitzvahed but don&#39;t consider myself religious. My ex-husband is Roman Catholic, so my four daughters are half Jewish, half Catholic. We don&#39;t belong to any temple or church.<br><b><br>Local Hot-Button Issues</b>

<i>What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?</i>

Right now, I think that everyone – no matter where they live – is worried about money. Whether it&#39;s, &#34;Do I have enough money to put food on the table?&#34; or, &#34;Should I buy my 17 year old a brand-new car now that she has her license?&#34; I think we all worry about money to some extent. 

Many people think that everyone in Dix Hills is wealthy. That is far from true. I don&#39;t think anyone is resting easily in this economy. Do I know what the answer is? No. I just hope someone in the government does.